Lil Sprouts au Gratin

Brussels sprouts, cabbage's tiny cousin, offer a cheesy, sweet flavor and creamy texture in this must-do side dish that complements any main course.

Ingredients

• 2 ½ pounds Brussels sprouts, trimmed
• 4 ounces tiny-diced pancetta
• ¾ cup chopped shallots (about 2 medium bulbs)
• 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 2 cups heavy cream
• 1 cup whole milk
• 4 tablespoons chicken broth concentrate*
• 1 teaspoon dried thyme
• ½ teaspoon nutmeg
• Cracked black pepper
• ¼ cup or more chopped flat-leaf parsley
• 1 cup shredded Swiss or Gruyere cheese
• 1 cup regular or Panko breadcrumbs
• ¼ cup (½ stick) butter, melted

*Use two tablespoons of a dried seasoning mix as a substitute for chicken broth concentrate.

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 °F (177 °C).
2. Blanche sprouts in a medium Teflon™ nonstick saucepan for about 3 minutes; drain, cool under cold water and slice thinly; set aside.
3. Wipe pan. Cook pancetta over medium heat until lightly brown; set aside.
4. Drain all but 1½ tablespoons of the fat from the pan and cook shallots until soft, about 2 mins.
5. Add flour and whisk for 1 minute; then add cream, milk, and broth concentrate stirring constantly until thick.
6. Sprinkle in thyme, nutmeg, and pepper, and stir in the sprouts.
7. Transfer to a 9x13-inch baking pan with Teflon™ nonstick coating.
8. Top with the reserved pancetta, parsley, cheese, breadcrumbs. Drizzle butter over all.
9. Bake 30 minutes or until bubbly and golden. Let stand 5 minutes before cutting.